Astrid

I finally compiled all the recs I posted over the years into one handy file, which I'm posting here. [eta: all the story links should work now, with the exception of a handful for which I coulnd't find new links.]

"High" by girlpireLink: http://girlpire.livejournal.com/107892.html?format=lightSpoilers: thru NFARating: "E for everyone?"Pairing: "I'd probably call it gen, but there are lots of Spangelreferences."Characters: Angel, Spike, Gunn, Illyria, OCSummary: "Post-NFA. What's left of Team Angel is fighting the goodfight in Chicago, and a vision leads Spike and Angel down into thesewers to rescue a young English man called Jacob.Author's Notes: This story is a prequel to [Like Drowning], thegraphic Angel/Kate story I wrote last summer. Since this comeschronologically before that one, you don't need to have read it tounderstand this one."

I *loved* girlpire's Kate/Angel fic "Like Drowning" so I was naturallythrilled that she's writing more stories in her Chicago!verse. In"High" we find out how Jacob came to run into the fang gang. Acharming, funny story with twists and turns. Enjoy! :o)==============================================="What Am I to You" by a2zmomlink: http://a2zmom.livejournal.com/150973.htmlWritten for the IWRY ficathon 2006Spoilers: set post Chosen/NFARating: NC-17Length: 11,000 words (novella)Summary: "When Angel unexpectedtly shows up at Buffy's door, sherealizes how little she knows him and wonders if she ever did."

"Later, it occurred to her that if this had been a chick flick, shewould have leapt into his arms, they would have both exclaimed thatthey'd never let each other go, and years of regret, remorse andrancor would have vanished into thin air, followed by a mind blowingkiss. Her life, however, had nothing to do with the movies, unless itwas one of those incomprehensible foreign ones where everybody dies atthe end."

In this post-NFA reunion the two of them don't pick up easily rightwhere they left off... they have changed, grown apart over the years.A wonderful story, realistic and very convincing, with great charactervoices on top of it.==============================================="War Stories: Raising the Banner " by tkplink: http://tkp.livejournal.com/35384.htmlspoilers: post-NFARating: PG13?length: 9,000 words

"Setting: The only AU element is that the episode “Origin” neverhappened. No one but Angel knows who Connor really is. NFA happens,minus the Connor bits. The fic is set post-NFA in a post-apocalypticworld.

Characters: Focus is on Connor and Angel, with a good side of Spike.There will be other Buffyverse characters, some major and some minor,and lots of OCs. There will be ‘ships that happen between all ofthese, including slash, but for the most part, this series is gen.It’s about fictional war and politics, derring-do andswashbucklingness, burdens of leadership, orders of command, warringfactions, insubordination, that kind of thing, with a father and sonat the heart of it."

This is the first story in a whole AU series. The premise isintriguing: Connor not knowing who Angel really is opens up a wealthof possibilities for their relationship, and I can see how tkp has funexploring it. And it's great fun to read, too, not just for theConnor-Angel interaction. This is an ensemble fic, all the charactersvoices ring very true. Spike's snarky presence serves well to keepAngel grounded (surviving The Battle is not a contingency Angelplanned for and it's not something he'd deal with all that well.)

An AU that just draws you in.==============================================="The Sure Thing" by Barb C.link: http://rahirah.livejournal.com/220651.htmlSpoilers: none for the showRating: PGPairing: Buffy/SpikeLength: 4,500 wordsSynopsis: A minion's lot is not a happy one.Author's notes: This story takes place in the same universe as"Raising In the Sun," "Necessary Evils," and "A Parliament ofMonsters." It's set several years after POM, and contains spoilers.

Written from the point of view of a long-suffering minion - hilarious.==============================================="Like Drowning" by girlpirelink: http://girlpire.livejournal.com/73015.htmlSpoilers: post-NFARating: NC-17Pairing: Angel/KateLength: 8,600 wordsSummary: Post-NFA. Kate and Angel run into each other while trackingthe same demon.

Hot, steamy, a pleasure to read. Terrific characterization, great Katevoice. The two of them are picking up right where they left off. Andthen take it a step further.

Shanshu with a little twist. Speaker does a convincing William voice,and the other characters are well written, too. And it's even moreinteresting to watch the characters - the whole crazy 'verse -through the eyes of polite, naive William... who's essentially a timetraveller.==============================================="The Nyazian Prophecies"http://www.nyazian.net/My favourite virtual season right after AtS No Limits! Terrificcharacterization, fleshed-out OCs, great plots... and I see they'restill going strong, episode 2.08 has just been posted to their LJ (I'mstill in season one, trying to catch up on my fanfic reading *eyesever growing pile*) I urge you to give this one a shot even if itdoesn't feature your favourite character(s). Connor and Andrew are themajor characters in this spin-off, with occasional cameos by othercharacters... the latest one has Angel, Spike, and Lorne, for example.

Title: "Resurrection" (The Nyazian Prophecies, 1x01)Author: EmceeSpoilers: post-NFARating: PG-13?Length: 16.500 words (novella)Summary: "No spell can stop destiny. No demon can stop the Destroyer"Four months after fighting Marcus Hamilton with Angel, Connor hassettled into a fairly normal life (with the occassional vampireslayage). But a new vampire leader named Clarice has plans for Connor.He is called into action with help from a Watcher sent by Angel...Andrew Wells.

[...]The setting is Stanford, where Connor is trying to have a mostlydemon-free lifestyle, only to find he can't escape his past. He getsteamed up with Andrew. That part did ask for a bit of suspension ofdisbelief on my part - the Watcher's Council must have been reallydecimated if they assign such an important position to bumbling Andrew(formerly evil). Then again, it's not like they haven't done itbefore. Besides that, pairing these two up and having it set atStanford is brilliant. Close enough to the original show to have theemotional connection, yet different enough to create something fresh.Add a few three-dimensional OCs in main roles, and guestappearances by other characters, and you got an interesting recipe fora spin-off.

makd over on ell-jay had a list of Kate fics, which is how I foundthis charming piece. Well, Kate appears more in the background, but Ilike it a lot nonetheless, for the snarky Spike-voice alone. Thatstory was fun to read.==============================================="What Happens In Vegas" by Barb C.http://sleepingjaguars.com/buffy/vegas.htmRating: NC-17Setting: Post-Gift AU Season 7/8. No specific spoilers for the show.Pairing: B/SSynopsis: One wedding, two murders, and a whole bunch of slot machines.Author's notes: This story takes place in the same universe as"Raising In the Sun," "Necessary Evils," and "A Parliament ofMonsters." It's set in the summer after POM, and contains spoilers forPOM.

Well, I was trying to stay spoiler free for POM but I finally caved.Am now more than mildly spoiled for POM, but this fic was absolutelyworth it.

This story is fun. I'd say it's not just for the S/B crowd. A witty,plotty, clever ghost story with a very quotable Buffy. Not to bemissed, particularly if you like your fic with a generous dash of humour.==============================================="Night of the Hunter" by Jennifer-Oksanahttp://glassonion.populli.org/archive/1/night.shtmlSpoilers: That Old Gang Of MineRating: NC-17Length: 29,000 wordsSummary: Cordelia has a vision of a brutal murder--which turn out tobe copycats--or are they? Time gets cut to pieces, Angel and Cordeliaget cozy and it may not turn out all right in the end. Angelus/Darla,Angel/Cordelia, Dru/Spike.

"Night of the Hunter" is one of Jennyo's earlier AtS stories, and oneof my favourites of her fanfic. This one has a inventive plot, justthe right amount of darkness, and sparkling C/A subtext (mostly).==============================================="Cold As It Gets" by EnigmaticBluehttp://www.freewebs.com/enigmaticblue/angeltheseriesfics.htmSpoilers: AtS s4 through 'Inside Out'; Buffy s6 'Grave'Rating: PG 15Summary: Set in a very AU world after the BtVS S6 episode Grave andthe Ats S4 episode, Orpheus. Spike never shows up in Sunnydale, Faithsticks around in L.A., since there's no First Evil to worry about inSunnydale, and Angel and Connor manage to prevent Jasmine from rising.The AI gang is left fragmented until the Powers That Be decide tointervene.Status: WIP, 9 of 12 chapters up, updated every other dayLength: Novella

Ensemble fic, very well written, with convincing characterization andslowly and realistically developing relationships. I discovered thisfic only yesterday. After devouring the first eight chapters I cameonline to rec it and find a new chapter posted. :) Just gettingthis quick rec in before I get back to the story...==============================================="Disassociative" by Teslapart1: http://tesla321.livejournal.com/177875.htmlpart2: http://tesla321.livejournal.com/177979.htmlspoilers: post chosen/NFARating: PG-13?length: 3,400 words (short)Summary: Weeks after the fight in the alley, Faith goes looking forAngel.

A Faith/Angel friendship fic with a strong Faith voice. Thecharacterization rings true; those two are alike in so many ways, theyjust *get* each other.===============================================I don't know what's with me and the drabbles and vignettes lateley.Here's another short one I really liked.

This archive hosts some great C/A fic, it's good to see it back. Ihave had the hardest time finding good C/A ever since Cordelia waswritten off the show.===============================================ficlets by flurblewiglink: http://flurblewig.livejournal.com/95677.htmlspoilers: let's say all of Buffy and Angel to be safeRating: doesn't say... R - NC-17? Lilah and Wes are in there so...

Flurblewig wrote seven vignettes, upon request: all differentcharacters, pairings and themes. Seven delicious appetizers will makefor a rather nice meal. :o)

I think My favourite is the last one (Lilah and Wes post NFA). I alsoreally like the Spike/Willow one.==============================================="Best Souvenir" by tkp (WIP)Link: http://tkp.livejournal.com/tag/best+souvenirSpoilers: it's AU, with vague allusions to canon eventsRating: PG-13 (so far)Pairing: B/ASummary: Whistler never existed. Angel never stopped bumming aroundManhattan to go to Sunnydale to meet Buffy. Buffy's experiences arecanon, minus Angel and things that relate to Angel (including Buffy'srelationships with Spike, Drusilla, and Darla. The nature of Buffy'saltered background with these characters will be explained within thefic). Half a year to a year after S7, Buffy is living in Rome (percanon), but has to visit Manhattan on Slayer business. Future-fic,alternate reality.

I broke my no-WIP rule for this story, because I saw it recced afterhaving just read tkp's daring, experimental "Five Ways NFA ProbablyDidn't End" and wanted to check out more by the same author. Well,this story is different in every imaginable way, I couldn't even havetold that they're by the same writer. While FWNPDE focuses on styleand structure, the style here takes a backseat.

I'm only five chapters in, but I'm already in love with it... hencethe early rec. After spending yesterday reading a mediocre tie-innovel, this story is a good reminder why I prefer fanfic. The dialogflows naturally, and the characters are exactly who I imagine theywould be in this reality, not formed by the events we know.==============================================="Five Ways NFA Probably Didn't End" by tkplink:http://tkp.livejournal.com/18369.html (parts 1-3)http://tkp.livejournal.com/18527.html (parts 4-5)Rating: NC-17Spoilers: post-NFA/Chosenlength: novella (each part ca. 2.000 words)

A story like... a kaleidoscope. Fragments and threads, intricatelyinterwoven, in constant motion. Amazing.==============================================="Troika" by Barb C.http://rahirah.livejournal.com/182293.htmlSpoilers: Post-NFARating: PG-13Pairing: B/S, B/A, A/S"This is an attempt at a 369er, three stand-alone but thematicallylinked ultra-shorts of 69 words each."

I don't rec vignettes often; I always feel that the rec would bealmost as long a the fic itself, and besides I'm more partial tolongfics. But I found this ficlet fascinating. Barb sums up this wholecomplex love triangle in no more than 3x69 words, in a way that's veryelegant and efficient. And, I can really see this work.===============================================Two Cordy fics I saw on livejournal recently and enjoyed reading. I'dlove to be more specific but it's awfully late and my brain doesn'twork any more, so without further ado...

Mari is the author of Ashes, Ashes, one of my favourite stories lastyear. TDYK is a Lindsey/Angel story, but I wouldn't classify it as ashippy fic. Lindsey's relationship with Angel is a central part of thestory, but the story is heavy on plot and action (which gives the fewclose, intimate scenes between the two all the more depth, imho). Theplot: Lindsey finds himself pulled out of hell to find that Angel'slittle coup had gone very wrong, and L.A. got taken over by the forcesof hell.

Mari takes a few liberties with Lindsey's characterization, whichdoesn't really mesh with season five canon... but since season fiveLindsey never made sense in the first place, I happily went with herinterpretation.

Small quibble: I'm assuming the story is spellchecked but not betaed -particularly in the middle part there're quite a few typos, smallstuff like 'an' instead of 'can'. It's a bit distracting if you haveto go back and re-read the sentence in the middle of an actionsequence. Nothing that would keep me from enjoying the story, though.===============================================If you haven't teared up yet (even a little), here's another excellentpost-You're Welcome story...

"Death of a Superhero" by Phoenix Moon[eta: can't find working link]Spoilers: s5 You're WelcomeRating: GLength: shortSummary: Parallel universes tend to mirror each other. After adesolate funeral in the real world post "You're Welcome," the world ofthe Cordy!verse adjusts to life without everyone's favourite actress,Cordelia Chase

Another wonderful tribute to Cordelia Chase. The way the two universesare contrasted works really well.==============================================="Undrowning" by HannasusLink: http://hannasus.livejournal.com/65631.htmlSpoilers: s5 You're WelcomeRating: PGLength: shortSummary: How was one supposed go about comparison shopping for funeralhomes, anyway?

The grief in this is palpable. A sad, painful, and beautiful fic thatseems very real... a fitting goodbye for Cordy.

(really made me realize once more how much I miss that character... sigh)==============================================="Goodbye, Cruel World" by HannasusLink: http://www.livejournal.com/users/hannasus/61520.htmlSpoilers: Not Fade AwayRating: PGLength: 4,400 words (short)Author's Note: The first installment in my planned Angel: Afterlifeseries. Post-ep for "Not Fade Away" and a sequel of sorts to myearlier story, "Curses." It'll probably make more sense if you've readthat one first.Summary: It was very late at night, on what was once again shaping upto be the end of the world.

This story brings back Aggie (Lorne's psychic friend, who made a briefappearance in season two). I liked the immediate chemistry she hadwith the Fang Gang in "Curses", so I was hoping for a sequel. AndHannasus found a very plausible way to bring her into the game again.A promising setup, I'm really looking forward to reading more in thisseries.==============================================="Out of This Stony Rubbish" by AnnakovskyLink: http://www.livejournal.com/users/annakovsky/155513.htmlSpoilers: post-'The Gift' AURating: R.Length: 11,200 words (nouvelle)Summary: "sequel to The Weary World Rejoicing, which was set in anapocalyptic AU where the events of "The Gift" didn't turn out sogreat." Spike. Willow. Xander. Anya. Giles. Tara.

For Christmas I wanted to re-rec Annakovsky's hauntingly beautifulstory "The Weary World Rejoicing". (Whenever I listen to 'O HolyNight' I'll get goosebumps because of the one line, which invariablyevokes the mood and images of that story.)http://s8219.net/bbfarchive/archive/0/theweary.html

And I discovered Annakovsky has written a sequel. If possible, evenbleaker than the first... not your typical cheerful christmas story.But despite all the apocalyptic death and darkness it's still a storyof hope. At least that's how I read it. :)==============================================="Valley of Ashes" by HannasusLink: http://www.livejournal.com/users/hannasus/58890.htmlSpoilers: Post-ep for "The Gift"/"There's No Place Like Plrtz Glrb."Rating: PGLength: 3.700 wordsSummary: Willow goes to L.A. to break the news of Buffy's death to Angel.

A missing scene fic that captures the mood perfectly. Just gorgeouswriting.===============================================The final two episodes of this virtual season are up at the No Limitssite:http://www.ats-nolimits.com/index.php.The finale's worth the wait. One of those stories that stayed with me.The resolution, as such, screams for another season... be warned.

(If you haven't read any of this series yet: I highly recommend it,but make sure you start with episode one, as the whole season followsa central story arc.)===============================================The L.A. Patient by FlurblewigSpoilers: AtS: s5 'A Hole in the World"; House: haven't got the foggiestRating: PG-13?Length: Novella... around 18,000 words, I'd guessSummary: AtS/House xover

This story is a fun read, and the best kind of crossover: it got meinterested in all the characters, even though I've never watched anepisode of House. Now I want to catch at least one, to see more of them.==============================================="Felt or Fur: The Cautionary Tale of Puppet Angel" by spikeNdruLink: http://www.angelfire.com/vamp/swordandstake/Felt_or_Fur.htmSpoilers: 'Smile Time'Rating: PG-13Length: shortSummary: Written for dovil's Mpreg Challenge Ficathon

I'd actually stumbled over that story a few months ago, but when I sawthe ominous word 'mpreg' I went Eeek and closed the window (it's areflex). But I saw it rec'ced again on makd's rec-by-ep list, so Igave it a go. What can I say: it's funny, it's cute, the ending isabsolutely hilarious. Don't scroll down, though, it would ruin thepunchline.

I'm always looking for good genfic that's in tone with the show, andit's not getting any easier to find... so I'm thrilled whenever Idiscover a new gen writer. This story is in the vein of Rheanna'sfanfic: a plotty, episodic ensemble fic with excellent dialog.(Really, the dialog alone would make it worth reading.) Aggie makesfor a likeable, well-developed not-quite-OC, and underying it all is arather interesting moral dilemma.

Yhlee wrote this excellent story in reply to a challenge, and it'samazing what she came up with. She's a skilled writer, I love herstyle - evocative yet understated... in short, I'll recommend this ficeven if you have never watched an episode of 'Bones'.==============================================="Eternity in Sixty Minutes (or Less)" by Salierypart 1: http://www.livejournal.com/users/st_salieri/137669.htmlpart 2: http://st-salieri.livejournal.com/138347.htmlSpoilers: AtS S5Rating: PGLength: 4,600 words (short)Author's summary: an Angel, Wes and Illyria piece that takes placeduring the events of Time Bomb. (or: Angel/Wes/Illyriadimension-shifting wackiness)

I see from the wishweek requests that I'm far from the only Genficlover here. Heh. Here's a story I just discovered on Livejournal: it'sgot plot, it's got excellent characterization, it ties neatly into theepisode and is just very well written overall.==============================================="Echoes" by Janedavitt and WesleysGirl (NoLimits episode 6.18)Link: http://www.ats-nolimits.com/episodes/ep0618.phpSpoilers: post-NFARating: no higher than RLength: 15,000 words (novella)Summary: A girl Connor saves may prove to be Angel's undoing. Also:the battle between Angel and Wesley heats up.

I want to get my rec in before ep 19 premieres next Wednesday...

This is a darker episode, after last week's comedy. It'd be worthreading for the character interaction and dialogue alone. Grippingplot, too, pushing along the season's arc. This season has reallypicked up the pace during the last couple eps. I can't wait to findout what Wesley is up to (or, rather, the writers).==============================================="Remains" (Ats NoLimits, ep 17) by Stakebait, WesleysGirl, and Jane DavittLink: http://www.ats-nolimits.com/episodes/ep0617.phpSpoilers: through 'Not Fade Away'Rating: um, maybe PG-15?Length: 16,000 words (novella)Summary: A mission goes horribly awry, leaving Spike in charge whilesomething nasty makes its way towards Los Angeles.

The NoLimits team have outdone themselves with this one. I could sosee that as a tv episode... well, possibly there's a tad more slashygoodness than we'd get to see on network television (though overallit's still pretty Gen in my book, with a generous side of Slash). Thedialogue: snarky and in character. Great plot... self-contained plot,too, so this ep works fine as a standalone, for those readers whohaven't followed this virtual season. But above all, this ep is funnyas hell. This is definitely one of my favourites of this season.==============================================="Depressed There" by TaniaLink: http://www.livejournal.com/users/itsabigrock/267711.htmlSpoilers: NoneRating: R-ishPairing: Spike/AngelLength: 116 kb / 8,500 wordsSummary: Angel always remembers Montana with a little smile.

I don't seek out historical fic but I love it when done well... andthis is done very well! She really catches the feeling of the period(what I imagine the period would've been like, anyway). The setting,the descriptions, the mood are all vivid, and the character voices arespot on as well.===============================================I found this gem in my huge stack of printed-yet-unread fanfics. Can'tbelieve I almost missed this one. Yay for insomnia.

I loved this fic, the stuffy atmosphere at the Watcher's Academy. Lotsof amusing details and little references. Wesley as head boy is justfun to watch, and still you can always see a glimpse at the hardenedside of his character. Great plot, too; makes perfect sense (finally,an answer to one of the buffyverse's gnawing questions.)===============================================The Good, The Bad, and Cordelia Chase by Speaker2customersSpoilers: Buffy s3 'The Wish'; a few spoilers for s5Rating: PG-13?Length: 141 kb

A lighthearted story that takes wishverse canon and runs with it...tugging and twisting it a bit until it's even more AU than before.==============================================="Word of Advice" by Helga von NutwimpleLink: http://www.fanfiction.net/s/2267797/1/Spoilers: post NFARating: T. That's, what, PG-13?Author's summary: Meet the newly reformed Angel Investigations inCleveland, where the god-king receptionist's phone manners leavesomething to be desired and Angel... has changed.Length: short

I was checking for updates of 'As the Romans do' and stumbled uponthis little fic - a bit of unabashed fluff. Plus, your one (andpresumably only) chance to see Angel in a pink lacy bonnet.

I love stories which explore the Birthdayverse some more. And I'm nota Cordy/Wes shipper at all, but the story really did a good jobselling me on the pairing. Great character voices, too.

There's an epilogue called 'Scrubbing', found under the same link.==============================================="Pinch Me" by TaniaLink: http://www.livejournal.com/users/itsabigrock/286694.htmlSpoilers: Not Fade AwayRating: RPairing: Angel/SpikeLength: 7.000 wordsSummary: A Shanshu tale, of sorts.

This one had me in its grip right till the end. Just the perfectbalance of angst and fluff. A story that bears re-reading.==============================================="The Signs that We Missed" by redbrickroseLink: http://www.livejournal.com/community/ats_endofdays/17499.htmlSpoilers: 'Reprise' through 'Not Fade Away'Rating: PG-13?Length: 4.260 wordsNotes: Written for the ats_endofdays tribute on LiveJournal, for theepisode 'Reprise'

Redbrickrose writes, "It's a series of vignettes, really. They'recharacter studies. Yeah. That's it." Which is a really modest way todescribe this fic... What she does is weave a tapestry of a story -out of these little snippets that are yet all connected in the greatercontext of the show's arc, from the events of 'Reprise' right through'Not Fade Away', with amazing insights into each character. Thelanguage is beautiful, the last sentence - just perfect. One of thestories I want to re-read right away, one which offers food forthought (and makes me love this show all the more).==============================================="Never Fall in Love With the Good Guys" by HonorHLink: http://www.livejournal.com/users/honorh/110654.html#cutid1Spoilers: NFA, ChosenRating: PG-13?Length: 1.500 wordsSummary: Lorne and Anya, chatting in a bar.

Both the voices are just excellent. My only gripe is that it whets theappetite for more. It screams for a sequel.Besides, there's never enough Lorne fic out there.==============================================="Ronin" by Cynlink: http://home.att.net/~lubakmetyk/crypt.htm#cynthiaSpoilers: post Not Fade AwayRating: RLength: novellaAuthor's summary: Andrew Watches over Spike and Dana, after anApocalypse. Set in Los Angeles and Mexico.Status: This story is complete and there's a sequel in the works.

I like Cyn's writing style a lot.Anyway, roadtrip with vampyre. Enjoy.===============================================Title: "Groundhog Night" by SajinnLink: http://sajinn.com/buffyfic3/groundhognight.htmlSpoilers: Some general AtS s4-nessRating: R (a rather tame R, imho)Author's summary: Angel and Cordelia follow in Bill Murray'sfootsteps. This is the Yule 2002 Secret Slasha for Dolores. Sherequested the following pairings: Joyce/Cordelia & Oz/Angel.Length: 6.800 words

Groundhog Day goes medieval...==============================================="Still the Same Old Story" by Wolfling and WesleyGirl(No Limits 6.8, standalone episode)Rating: guessing PG-13Spoilers: post NFA, AtS s6 Length: 14.400 wordsSummary: A night off sends Angel and the gang into a place whereeverything is not as black and white as it seems. Also, Wesley hasdifficulty with his ties to Wolfram & Hart.

I love the whole virtual season but this episode tickled me inparticular. The visuals of the first scene drew me into the storyright away. Pitch-perfect voices for every single character and anifty 'film noir' plot idea that's really well executed. Wesley's roleremains shadowy... setup for future conflict a-plenty.

I like the subtle way the writers go about the relationships. Sure,they're important to the storyline, it's all character driven. But itdoesn't center around any one romantic ship, and it doesn't look likeit will anytime soon. They're really taking their time setting up therelationships, with room for speculation. And I'm enjoying the subtextway more than I would enjoy out-and-out ship fic.==============================================="Alla Prima" by D.M. Evanshttp://www.foreverfandom.net/viewstory.php?sid=5814&PHPSESSID=b0b8af111798824b0634be7078f57065Rating - PG-13Spoilers - S5 of Angel thru 'Damage'Length: 8.750 words, completeSummary - Something is making the art work in LA come to life,something dark from Angel and Spike's past

Solid plotfic; I found the premise of the story quite interesting.===============================================Okay, the author categorizes this as 'silly drabble' and indeed, thatdescribes it well. I found it hilarious... maybe I just got a reallyweird sense of humour. Well, so does Nickle, apparently.

Title: "Surviving the Wrath of Cordelia"Author: Nicklelink: http://www.stranger-things.net/justfic/index/n/nickle/surviving.htmRating: GSpoilers: nonePairing: well, it says C/A, but this is *not* a shippy story. Silly,yes. Shippy, no.Summary: Almost kill her, sleep around on her, give away her clothes,but don't ever mess with her tapes of Survivor.length: 435 words

Yahtzee is one of the very best fanfic writers out there, along withRheanna my favourite author... and she has written another Angelstory, which I just stumbled upon tonight. :o)

'Two Steps Back' is a right tour de force - you don't want to put itdown, not for one second. It moves at an incredible pace and at thesame time takes its time to build up the underlying themes. I wish Icould come up with a rec that would do this story justice, but hey,it's 4:30 am. Go, read. Seriously.===============================================A treat for AtS fans :o)kassia06 over on LJ has written a missing ep gen story that is soamazingly true to the characters, season two really comes to life.With plot ::happy sigh::

I read the third episode of this virtual series today and am once morein a state of inarticulate squeeing, but I'll try to post something beyond'Wow'.

This is simply my favourite kind of fanfic: really well written; plot drivenand with plenty of action scenes but without the emotional distancefrom the characters one sometimes encounters in plot-driven stories(most notably the official novels, bleh). Characterization and dialogue,totally on the mark. Countless humorous lines sprinkled in. And it's allfresh and original while being true to the show.

Ep 2 is the continuation of the season opener. Ep 3 works as astandalone but I'd definitely read the series in the right order; theyhave seasonal arcs going, as well as episodic plots. The writing isconsistent. Even though there are different writers for the eps, theseason so far is very coherent as a whole, a great team effort.

Astrid

'6x02: Tremor' by Wolfling and Mad PoetessLink: http://ats-nolimits.com/episodes/ep0602.phpSpoilers: all of AtSRating: no higher than RLength: 13.800 wordsSummary (or, in this case, tv guide blurb): A new, seeminglyunstoppable form of demon is still overwhelming the forces of AngelInvestigations in the concluding part of the two-episode season-opener. However, the return of an old friend provides help just whenthe gang needs it most.

'6x03: A Temp is Just a Temp' by KaraLink: http://ats-nolimits.com/episodes/ep0603.phpSpoilers: all of AtSRating: no higher than RLength: 15.200 wordsSummary: Angel and his gang investigate a series of ritual killings.Meanwhile, a string of increasingly unsuitable job applicants haveAngel wondering if some positions just can't be filled.==============================================="Last One Before Closing" by SelenaLink: http://archive.shriftweb.org/archive/29/lastone.htmlSpoilers: AtS S5 'Origin'Rating: PGLength: vignetteSummary: After regaining his memories, Wesley asks Lorne for afavour.

A short character study. Made me ache for both of them and who theyused to be.==============================================="6.1 Flutter" by The Brat Queenhttp://ats-nolimits.com/episodes/ep0601.phpSpoilers: Post NFA, so all of AngelRating: guessing... PG-13?Length: 18,700 words

'Flutter' is the season opener of 'AtS No Limits', the virtual seasonsix, and I gotta say, the show may have been cancelled but this ispretty close to the real thing. From the sound of it, this virtualseason is being put together with incredible care, effort, love, andskill. They got a team of writers, editors, deadlines... the websitefeatures promos and interviews, even spoilers .

The first ep really feels like _the_ season opener. That special AtSvibe, it's there - the dialogue is snarky, the characters three-dimensional - I could hear the voices, and saw the images in my head.There are already hints at character- and plot arcs. The plot picksup three months after where NFA left off and is so interesting thatI'm tempted to look up spoilers for next week's ep.

I had the silliest smile on my face all the while I was reading it.===============================================First one to rec... heh :)

I saw this story rec'ced on LJ today, and have read it in one go. Orrather, inhaled it. What a great read - spot-on Xander voice, lots ofdemony action, humour, and above all a solid plot... (it doesn't hurtthat it hits on my favourite plot kink, says the fangirl who watchedGroundhog Day eight times ). And I absolutely loved the ending.And the nuances in the S/X relationship. Heck, I loved every bitabout it.

And I just saw that she's already started to post a sequel... hard toresist that temptation, WIP or not.===============================================I'd planned to bring this up for a while and this is a goodopportunity. It's a promising story by a first-time author that'scurrently being posted at ff.net (not the most likely place to findgood fic, but it happens on occasion). At the moment it's updatedalmost daily and the first part is already finished so I have hopesnot to get burned by this one. There's a lot of emphasis on plot...an classic action-adventure plot with a generous side of buddy-movieSpike/Angel snark (and quite a bit of Spike/Angel UST; no ideawhether that's intentional, but anyway, I like it particularlybecause it's not too on the nose.)

The story is unbeta'ed and I don't know if she plans to have itedited eventually... it could use a beta, though it's nothing majorlyannoying, just those hundreds of little details that will keep a goodstory from being a great one. Still, it's enjoyable to read as it is,and I'm really interested to see where it goes (at the moment I'mstill at the end of the first part).

"Short Walk to Daylight" by Malakhimhttp://www.fanfiction.net/s/1874597/1/[edit: looks like she took down the story, but the sequel is still up:http://www.fanfiction.net/s/1966194/1/]Spoilers: AU after AtS S5 'Damage', Buffy through 'Chosen'Rating: PG-13Notes: WIP, part one complete. Plotfic.Pairing: According to the author's notes, this story is heading in aB/A direction... though you couldn't really tell from the sheeramount of A/S subtext in the first part.Length: part 1 52.000 words; part 2 so far 31.000 wordsAuthor Summary: Angel and Spike must team up to fight a powerful foewith dark links to Angel's past. To defeat it they must travel toRome to seek the help of some old friends.

It's pretty much the only WIP I'm still reading - everything elseI've given up on following because I apparently can't juggle severalWIPs in my head: by the time the next chapter gets posted, I'veusually forgotten what happened in the previous ones. I just createdan extra folder where each new chapter of each story gets stuffed in,so I can read them in one once the stories are completed.

'Short Walk to Daylight' gets updated faster than I can read it...which, okay, doesn't mean too much at the moment (I manage about onepage each day before falling asleep...) so running out of newchapters is not a problem.===============================================[eta: lakrids404 posted his BBF list]

Then I assume you didn't catch the first version of this post, where I messed up the LJ cut but good. Koff. Fortunately the post couldn't have been up for more than a few seconds. But really, the one time I write a really long post, I mess up the tag. *facepalm*